Murmurs
Gov. John Kitzhaber’s growing opposition to a proposed coal-export terminal in Oregon (“Coal-line Stand,” WW,
June 4, 2014) will get a test this week. The Oregon Department of
Transportation
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News
The bulk commodities giant Kinder Morgan has announced it won't pursue a coal export terminal it hoped to build at Port Westward in Columbia County."Kinder Morgan’s terminal would have exported up to 30 million tons of Wyoming and Montana coal a year to Asia. The company projected its investment at $150 million to $200 million with 80 permanent jobs at the terminal," The Oregonian's Scott Learn ...
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The coal wars continue in the mayor's race.Former City Commissioner Charlie Hales responded today to a pledge by opponent Rep. Jefferson Smith (D-Portland) to seek a city resolution banning coal exports. Hales' statement implies that Smith is scoring cheap political points with an empty gesture. Hales says the city should instead pressure the Oregon congressional delegation to slow a prospective coal ...
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The slippery slope of campaign contributions.

Murmurs
Did City Commissioner Amanda Fritz
violate her campaign-contribution limits? Fritz has based her political
career on her independence from undue influence. In her re-election
campaign, she
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News
Mayoral candidate Rep. Jefferson Smith (D-Portland) joined the liberal wave of opposition to Oregon coal exports last week when he called for a largely symbolic anti-coal resolution by the City of Portland. But if he enters City Hall, Smith can expect some largely symbolic opposition. Steve Novick, who was elected to City Council in the primary, writes in the comments of a WW blog post that he won't ...
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Count Rep. Jefferson Smith (D-Portland) among the growing anti-coal chorus.The mayoral candidate has been making noises since the May 15 primary about wading into the statewide debate on coal exports by passing a Portland anti-coal resolution similar to the one in Seattle. He's mentioned the issue in stump speeches, but without offering a firm stance. Smith made his anti-coal position official this ...
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Heard the expression "not in my backyard?" Try not on our back river, according to Columbia Riverkeeper and Portland Rising Tide. The environmental watchdog groups will hold a teach-in tonight at 7 pm, Wednesday March 23, at the First Unitarian Church of Portland (1226 SW Salmon St.) to discuss how the Columbia River could soon become an important conduit for dirty energy via the transportation of ...
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